Aptoide launches alternative iOS game store in Japan | Infinium-tech

Aptoide recently launched AppArena in Japan. The company says it is the first “tailored alternative iOS game store” for the Japanese market. This launch was made possible due to Apple’s recent regulatory-driven changes, following the passage of Japan’s new Mobile Software Competition Act 2025, which enables third-party app markets, which mandated the move.

The Japanese launch is in partnership with SoftBank Group-owned digital services and IT provider BBSS Corporation. AppArena is Available today in Japan. According to the official press release, it “moves away from traditional download-driven rankings, helping users find games they actually enjoy”.

This includes discovery articles curated by the AppArena editorial team, up to 10% cashback in points on in-app purchases, a 15-minute game trial in the cloud without using device storage, and the Game Genie AI feature. You can just ask him what you want to play. It “combines Aptoide’s app metadata, user behavior signals, and large language models to deliver intent-based recommendations”.

Aptoide CEO Paulo Trajantos said:

Japan is one of the most sophisticated mobile markets in the world. With AppArena, we’re not just adding another icon to the home screen – we’re bringing a new, AI-powered layer on top of the existing app ecosystem. You can spend a few minutes finding the right app, or you can ask Game Genie and get it done in seconds.